What's in a Name?
by Katryna Black
Summary: Pepperony100 themes from the LJcommunity. "We should date," Tony says. "I'm a superhero."
1. What's in a Name?

Written for the Pepperony100 on LJ.

**Title:** What's in a name?  
**Theme:** #62, Identity  
**Rating:** G  
**Length:** Drabble, oneshot, 164 words  
**Summary:** But a rose, by any other name, is just another flower that is pretty and smells nice.

* * *

He was singing a song that he didn't know the words to. She found it strange that instead of "dun-dun", he sang, "pun-pun."

"Miss Potts," he greeted her, looking up briefly from his latest project. "Pepper Potts."

"Mr. Stark," she returned, placing his coffee down. "That is my name."

"No, it isn't. I reviewed your files last night."

"Am I up for review?"

"Couldn't sleep. How does one start with Virginia and end up with Pepper?"

"It's my spunk. I'm peppery."

He cocked an eyebrow.

"It's an old woman's name, I'm too young for that sort of thing."

The other eyebrow raised.

"If it were your name, would you keep it?"

"Virginia Potts," he tried, never looking up. "Pepper. Virginia Pepper Potts."

She turned to leave.

"I'd date a woman with that name."

"Shall I search the phone book for you, Mr. Stark?"

"No need for that, Miss Potts." He never looked up, but a small smile crossed his face. "No need at all."


	2. Don't Stand So Close

**Title:** Don't Stand So Close  
**Theme:** #86 – Engine Grease  
**Word Count:** 330

* * *

It's not often that a song like this comes from the speakers of his stereo. Usually it's some rough or whiny voice screaming intelligible words of hate, with drums so loud that the whole house shakes. But this evening it's soft and catchy, carefully inviting and he's got her swept in his arms before she can properly drop the files on the desk.

"What are you doing? You have work-" Pepper says, trying to squirm from his grasp, her feet not cooperating as he tries to lead her across the garage.

"I never made up for that night," Tony says, doing his best to dance with the reluctant Miss Potts.

"What night? Let go-"

"You know what night. That night when we danced and you turned a lovely shade of pink," he reminds her.

"And everyone stared and you left me," she fills in, finally able to pull away but not letting go of his hand.

"No one's watching now," he points out, gesturing to the room filled with cars and a suit of iron.

"He's watching!" Pepper exclaims, pointing to Dummy. "And Jarvis!"

"Who are they going to tell, each other?" Tony asks with a grin.

"I'm not going to tell anyone without the password," Jarvis offers helpfully.

"What's the password?" Pepper asks.

"Can't tell you," Tony says, pulling her back to him and continuing the dance. "Can't have anyone knowing about this."

"You're all sweaty," Pepper complains, her hand slipping from his shoulder. "And you're covered in grease."

"My dear, you've touched worse things on me before."

"You mean that pus?" Pepper tries pulling back again.

"It wasn't- Fine, it was pus. See? We've crossed every line possible-"

"Not every line," she corrects.

"-so really, dancing while I'm covered in sweat and engine grease with no one watching isn't such a big deal, hm?"

It takes a moment to sink in, and she squeals, "Ew, it was pus!"

He draws her close and takes delight in her squirming.


	3. Will You be my Teddy Bear?

**Title:** Will You be my Teddy Bear?  
**Theme:** #60 - Dream  
**Rating:** PG  
**Length:** 452 Words  
**Summary:** "I'm conducting an experiment." "At two in the morning?"

* * *

It's the middle of the night, and even though he was awake enough to call for her, he really shouldn't have met her so quickly in the foyer.

"What's going on?" Pepper asks, repeating the same questions she already asked over the phone. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Tony says, a little too happy and awake. "Everything's fine."

"Then why did you call me?" Pepper tugs her coat closer around her body, because he sounded frantic over the phone and she hadn't bothered to change out of her nightclothes, let alone put a bra on.

"I'm conducting an experiment," he says.

"At two in the morning?" she asks, then takes a closer look at him. "Your eyes are red- Have you been drinking?"

"No, I'm sober, I'm actually sober. I just need your help with this."

Tony's smile is too wide and his eyes refuse to meet Pepper's, instead they are constantly looking behind her, as if something could jump from behind her and attack them both.

It clicks in her head, and she asks even though she knows she shouldn't. "Have you been crying?"

Tony doesn't answer, but his eyes finally meet hers and she briefly wonders if that's what a kicked puppy looks like.

"Just an experiment, Miss Potts," he says more somberly. "Please."

She sighs and says, "I'll be hour or so late in the morning."

"You're forgiven," Tony says, then leads her to his bedroom.

"No," she says, looking at the bed.

"Miss Potts."

"No."

"It's not what you think."

"No."

"C'mon. The sheets are clean, and I promise, you can keep your clothes on. Unless you sleep naked. Do you sleep naked?"

"No."

"Good, no worries then. Just lay down."

"I expect an extra week of vacation this year, Mr. Stark," Miss Potts says as she takes off her coat and slowly sits down on the bed.

"How about a nice lobster dinner? I'll take you out on the yacht this weekend," he compromises. "How'd you know what side of the bed I sleep on?"

"I know you better than you know yourself," she says, pulling the covers over her so that he can't see her anymore.

"Then you should've known I wouldn't give you any vacation time. Jarvis, lights."

"Yes, sir," Jarvis says and the lights dimmed.

"I did get a lobster dinner," Miss Potts points out, then stiffens as Tony's arm drapes across her waist, pulling her against him.

"Experiment commenced at 2:34 a.m.," Tony whispers softly.

"With, um, what variables?" Pepper whispers back, but Tony's already snoring softly in her ear.

In the morning, she leaves a note on the pillow that reads, "Experiment successful. Will be late, need shower and clean clothes. –PP"


	4. Ebenezer Stark

**Title:** Ebenezer Stark  
**Theme:** #59 - Future  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Length:** 550 Words  
**Summary:** Prelude to #60 - Dream. Tony is visited by the Ghost of Christmas yet to come, minus Christmas.  
**Author's Note:** My least favorite to date. Hopefully I'll make up for it in the near future.

"You're a fool," Yinsen said, his face hidden in the shadows.

"Yinsen!" Tony exclaimed, trying to stand to greet his savior. "It's good to see you, man!"

"I wish I could the same for you," Yinsen said and, even in the dark, Tony could tell that the Arab was smiling. "You look a wreck."

"I've been working," Tony said, running his hands through his hair. "Really late hours, these days."

"That's not really what I meant.

"Tony Stark, you're wasting your life."

"What the hell! Have you seen what I've done?"

"I have," Yinsen said with a small nod.

"I shut down half of my company! We don't make weapons anymore!"

"I know."

"I built the suit! I fight the bad guys! I save innocent people! I am Iron Man!"

Yinsen moved so fast that Tony's chair squeaked on the tiled floor as he jumped back. Yinsen slammed his palm on the desk and Tony was shocked that bullet holes littered the man's chest, that there was no blood left in Yinsen's face.

"You're so damned drunk you don't even know you're talking to a dead man!"

Tony stared, then managed to swallow. Picking up his glass, he said, "Am I dead?"

Yinsen took the glass from Tony, raising it to his own lips. "No. Not yet, anyway."

"So, I'm still alive," Tony asked, watching Yinsen drink his very fine scotch.

"But, what's the point of living if you have nothing to live for?" Yinsen asked, placing the glass beyond Tony's reach.

"I have plenty to live for-"

"You're on the path of self destruction." Yinsen picked up a framed picture, a news article clipping but the only photo of the two of them together. "You'll start by losing her-"

Tony started to stand. "If you touch Pepper, I swear-"

"When did I become the bad guy?" Yinsen asked with a smile. "You'll lose her all on your own." He put the picture down, and then glanced behind Tony into the lab. "Then you'll lose the suit-"

"How can I lose the suit? I'm the only one who can use it-"

"-and then you'll drown like the rat you'll become."

"Drown? Literally or metaphorically?"

"Does it matter?"

"Metaphorically, then."

"You'll wish it had been literally." Yinsen placed his hands on the table again and leaned in close to Tony so that their noses were near touching. "I gave my life for yours, and this is how you'll repay me? What are you going to do about that?"

Tony woke with a start, sitting straight up in the dark. His heart pounded in his chest and he struggle to breathe. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he was in bed instead of at his desk, why he was alone and there was no ghost hovering above him, and why-

He was sober. For once, he was actually sober.

"Jarvis?" Tony called out, swinging his legs off the bed.

The lights came on and Jarvis replied, "Sir?"

"Get Miss Potts on the phone." He found his house coat, rarely worn because it was his house after all, and pulled it over his shoulders.

"Sir, it is two in the morning, and Miss Potts has requested that she not be disturbed after-"

"Just do it, Jarvis. Just do it."


	5. Oh, Grow Up

**Title:** Oh, Grow up.  
**Theme:** #70 - Friends  
**Rating:** PG  
**Length:** 422 Words  
**Summary:** Tony needs to start listening to adult music, because Pepper is no longer impressed.  
**Warnings:** Borderline _ridiculous_. I have no excuse.

* * *

"And once again, you make me question myself-" Rhodes is saying, never glancing up from his newspaper.

"Your sexuality?" Tony Stark interjects, leaning back in his desk chair with a classic Tony grin on his face.

"-and I wonder," Rhodes continues, ignoring Tony's remark, "why I'm still friends with you."

"Technically, we're not friends," Tony says, leaning forward, his finger hovering over the intercom. "You're my liaison."

Rhodes lowers the newspaper, genuinely hurt. "You don't consider us friends?"

"Miss Potts, could you come here, please," Tony says into the intercom, shutting it off before Pepper can say, "Yes, Mr. Stark."

"You were wondering why we were still friends," Tony explains, sitting back again. "I was giving you an out."

"I don't need you to give me an out."

"A freebie. Take it while you can, I hate handing out freebies."

"I don't need your charity," Rhodes says and Pepper walks into the office, asking, "How may I help you, Mr. Stark?"

"Miss Potts," Tony simply says.

"Yes, Mr. Stark?"

Tony's grin grows like a Cheshire cat's and Rhodes rolls his eyes and goes back to his newspaper.

"What would you do if I told you that you make me want to 'la-la'?" Tony asks.

Pepper blinks and her eyebrows furrow together as she thinks about it. It's not often that Tony's able to throw her off, but it's clear that he's thrown a curveball when she was expecting a serve.

It doesn't last, and she's able to clear her throat and say, "I would tell you that you simply can't afford another office related sexual harassment charge, Obadiah is the only reason you haven't permanently lost your security clearance in the building and I don't think he'd be willing to stand up against to the board for you again. I would also tell you that you're much too old to be listening to Ashlee Simpson."

Tony's smile hasn't shrunk at all. "Is that all, Miss Potts?"

Pepper considers, then answers, "Yes."

"You make me want to 'la-la', Miss Potts," he deadpans.

Pepper glances to Rhodes for help, who simply shrugs and says, "He's not _my_ friend."

After a moment of Pepper staring in disbelief, of Tony grinning, of Rhodes trying his hardest not to laugh, Pepper says, "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"That will be all, Miss Potts."

When Tony's security card denies him access to the building the next day, he stands in the lobby and laughs like a hyena until Rhodes appears to sign him in as a guest.


	6. Excuses, excuses

**Title:** Excuses, excuses  
**Theme:** #63 - Hero  
**Rating:** G  
**Length:** 244 Words

**

* * *

  
**

He's giving her _that_ grin again, and she quickly suppresses the urge to hit him. After all, it wouldn't do that have a harassment charge against her, not when she's filed so many against him…

"You should date me," Tony says, his smile hopeful, subtracting years from his face.

Pepper reaches over and straightens his tie, asking, "And why should I do that?" She can't wait to hear this week's excuse. Last week's was, "Because our babies would be beautiful," and the week before had been, "Your hair matches my shoes."

"Because I'm a superhero," he grins, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest, offering her a wink.

"You're not a superhero," she says, tucking his note cards into his inner jacket pocket, refusing to meet his eye.

"Then what would you call me?' Tony asks.

A little too seriously, but meaning every word of it, she says, "You're just a kid with a sheet tied around your neck, and one of these days you're going to try jumping off the roof, and we all know what happens next."

The week before last, her excuse had been, "You'll lose those shoes before the day is over."

The week before, "You'll get yourself killed before they reach grade school, and I'm not keen on being a single mother."

She turns sharply on her heel to leave, relieved that it will take him another week before he's recovered and ready to ask her again.


End file.
